I found a report about why students don't complete college (see link at right called "From Access to Success"). I thought I knew what it was going to say, but I found something surprising.
Obviously, the report discusses the fact that many students are academically underprepared (for example, in California there have been reports about students who enter the CSU system having met the minimum entrance requirements, and end up dropping out). But I hadn't heard about the phenomenon of "undermatching." These are students who don't select the very best college for which they are eligible. It suggests that,
"Many students and families choose less-selective institutions because of the price of attendance, proximity to home or similar factors that may seem reasonable—yet graduation rates are actually lower for individual students who enroll in less selective schools, rendering a seemingly cost-effective choice ultimately quite costly."
That's huge, especially in today's economic climate. It does seem more intuitive to save money by starting out in a community college or a local university that is more affordable than effective. But if students don't thrive intellectually, they may not stick with it.
I can't wait to show this to my husband!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
More on Money
One of the linked articles on that Kiplinger’s site is called “Smart Ways to Pay for College.” In it, editor Janet Bodnar outlines five strategies, and I have to say I was annoyed when I read them. Three of the five are completely unhelpful to us (through no fault of Bodnar or the magazine).
Number five suggests skipping a four-year degree. Sorry, not an option in our family. It's a must-do. Number two suggests starting in community college. Even my husband agrees that’s not what Emily should do. Those of you who know me know this was a hot household argument when Emily was in middle school. Brian and I both went to community college before transferring to a university. He has always been happy with his decision; I wish I’d done it differently. Now the argument is moot because Emily has made it very clear that she’s a great candidate for a university.
Suggestion number one warns against taking on a huge debt for a private education “when you can go to a good public university for less than half the cost.” First of all, this isn’t necessarily true in California. Once upon a time, San Diego students had the option of living at home and going to San Diego State. But that isn’t an option for many anymore. SDSU no longer gives priority to local students. It has become much more competitive. It seems to me they’ve gotten away from their original purpose. There is no local, affordable university for the average San Diego student, except for CSU San Marcos, and budget cuts are taking a toll there.
Bodnar cites the article on the “100 Best Values in Public Colleges.” UC’s are the only California schools on that list, and they are no longer half the cost of private schools. In fact, for middle-income families, you can get a better deal at some private or out-of-state schools (providing you can get in). I hate the idea that a UC might be inaccessible because of cost.
So this leaves two relevant suggestions: AP credits and private scholarships. Yep we’re on it. Some universities are changing their policies about AP credits, but it seems like the schools Emily is looking at mostly offer credit for AP scores of 3, 4, or 5. For scholarships, Emily registered on fastweb.com, which matches students to scholarship opportunities. I hear that thousands of dollars in scholarships go unclaimed every year because eligible students don’t take the time to apply. I can’t believe how much easier it is for students to gain access to these scholarships than it was before the Internet.
Next spring, when we know where Emily has been accepted, and how much assistance we can get, we’ll have to make those serious decisions about cost. I’d love to be able to tell her that she should do what she wants and we’ll make it work. She has worked hard, and deserves that. But I don’t know how realistic that is. Nothing to do now but wait and see.
Number five suggests skipping a four-year degree. Sorry, not an option in our family. It's a must-do. Number two suggests starting in community college. Even my husband agrees that’s not what Emily should do. Those of you who know me know this was a hot household argument when Emily was in middle school. Brian and I both went to community college before transferring to a university. He has always been happy with his decision; I wish I’d done it differently. Now the argument is moot because Emily has made it very clear that she’s a great candidate for a university.
Suggestion number one warns against taking on a huge debt for a private education “when you can go to a good public university for less than half the cost.” First of all, this isn’t necessarily true in California. Once upon a time, San Diego students had the option of living at home and going to San Diego State. But that isn’t an option for many anymore. SDSU no longer gives priority to local students. It has become much more competitive. It seems to me they’ve gotten away from their original purpose. There is no local, affordable university for the average San Diego student, except for CSU San Marcos, and budget cuts are taking a toll there.
Bodnar cites the article on the “100 Best Values in Public Colleges.” UC’s are the only California schools on that list, and they are no longer half the cost of private schools. In fact, for middle-income families, you can get a better deal at some private or out-of-state schools (providing you can get in). I hate the idea that a UC might be inaccessible because of cost.
So this leaves two relevant suggestions: AP credits and private scholarships. Yep we’re on it. Some universities are changing their policies about AP credits, but it seems like the schools Emily is looking at mostly offer credit for AP scores of 3, 4, or 5. For scholarships, Emily registered on fastweb.com, which matches students to scholarship opportunities. I hear that thousands of dollars in scholarships go unclaimed every year because eligible students don’t take the time to apply. I can’t believe how much easier it is for students to gain access to these scholarships than it was before the Internet.
Next spring, when we know where Emily has been accepted, and how much assistance we can get, we’ll have to make those serious decisions about cost. I’d love to be able to tell her that she should do what she wants and we’ll make it work. She has worked hard, and deserves that. But I don’t know how realistic that is. Nothing to do now but wait and see.
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